Hinged floor rack



R. J. OLANDER HINGED FLOOR RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

R. J. OLANDER HINGED FLOOR HACK Filed Dec. 23, .1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Apr. 15, 1941 a Roland J. Olander, Chicago, IlL, assignor to W.H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111.,a corporation of Dela- ,ware

- Application December 23, 193i), Scriallio. 310,730

' 5H6 Claims: .(c1 1e---1c3 This invention relates to improvements "inhinged floor racks for refrigerator cars, and more particularly to thehinged sectionsthereof which are located at the door openings ofthe'car.

In railway practice, refrigerator cars "are provided with floor racks tosupport the 'lading raised above the floor of theca r, the racks beingcomposed of sections which are foldable against the walls of the car toclear the floor for ladingwhich does not require elevation-from thefloor. The sections of the rack at the side door openings are arrangedto be either folded on topof the adjacent sections to clear the floor ofthe door opening to permit trucking of the lading into the car, orfolded against the underneath sides of, said adjacent sections whentherack is folded against the side wall of the car) I t The main objectof my invention is to provide simple, efficient, and durablemeans forconnecting adjacent sections of a floor rack for refrigerator carssothat one of said adjacent sections may be folded againstthe other,either on top of or beneath the latter as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient hingemeans for connecting adjacent sections of a floor ra'ckso that one" ofsaid sections may be folded against the other either on top of orbeneath the latter, wherein the hinge means comprises cooperatinghingedly connected arms or links pivotedfto the rack sectionsrespectively. v t t t t A further object of the invention is to providehinge means of the charactersetforth in the preceding paragraph, whereinthe hinge arms or links are pivotally connected to base plate memberssecured to the rack sections respectively, and so designed as to requireonly one securing element for each plate'to mount the same onthe racksection and anchor it in place.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hinge means forconnecting adjacent sections of a floor rack comprising hingedlyconnected links or arms pivotally mounted on base plate members securedto the" rack sections, wherein the base plate members are provided withstop means for limiting the swinging movements of the arms about theirpivots to limit the pivotal movement of said arms with respect to therack sections and thereby keep the hinging movement of the arms withrespect to each other under proper control.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part: of this specification', Figure 1 is atop plan view of two adjacent'sections of a floor rack, illustrating myimprovements in connection therewith, said rack sections being shownpartly broken. Figure 2 isan edge elevational view, on an enlargedscale, of the structure shown in Figure 1, looking upwardly in said lastnamed figure; both rack sections being shown partly broken away. Figure3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing one rack section foldedbeneath the adjacent section. Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 butshowing one rack section folded on top of the adjacent section. Figure 5is a vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 5-5of Figure 2, showing the hinge means at one side of said racks only, therack sections being shown broken away at opposite sides of the hingemeans. Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale,corresponding substantially to the line fi -6 of Figure 3, the racksections being shown broken away.

In said drawings, It] indicates a rack section of conventional form ofthe type which is ordinarily located at one side of the door opening ofthe side wall of a refrigerator car, and II indicates the usual sectionwhich occupies a portion of the space confronting and in line with thedoor opening. As is well known by those skilled in this art, the usualpractice is to divide the portion of the floor rack which occupies thefloor space between the transversely aligned side door openings of arefrigerator car, both centrally in a direction transverse of the carand centrally in a direction lengthwise of the same, and swinginglyconnecting the sections at opposite sides of said space between thedoors to the sections of the rack located immediately adjacent said dooropenings. As is further well known, to clear the floor of the car toconvert the car for lading which does not require elevation from thefloor, the sections immediately adjacent the door opening of the car,which correspond to the section I 0, are foldable respectively againstthe side walls of the car, and the sections which normally occupy thespace between the door openings and correspond to the section I l arefoldable against the underneath sides of said first named sections.

To clear the floor space between the door openings of the car fortrucking, it is the common practice to fold the sections which occupysaid space on top of the sections adjacent said space and beyond thedoor openings.

. The rack sections l0 and H illustrated in the drawings, whichsections, as hereinbefore stated are of conventional design, arecomposed of longitudinal stringers I2-I2I2 and transverse spaced slatsI3-I3 supported on and secured to said stringers. As shown in Figure 1,each section I and II of the rack has the stringers I2-I2I2 thereof soarranged that two of said stringers are located at opposite sides of therack and the remaining stringers are located at suitable spacedintervals between said side stringers. The stringers I2 of the two racksections I0 and II are staggered with respect to each other, so thatwhen the section II is folded underneath the section In the stringers ofthe two rack sections will lie side by side and thus .not interfere withthe proper folding of said sections. As shown in Figure 1, the sidestringers I2I2 of the rack section II are spaced laterally inwardly withrespect to the side stringers I2-I2 of the rack section III, the spacingbetween the adjacent stringers of the respective racks I0 and II beingsuch as to accommodate connecting hinge means therebetween, which hingemeans is secured tothe inner and outer sides of said stringers.

My improved means for pivotally connecting straight, shank portion I land a relatively short section I5 at the outer end of the shank portion,disposed at approximately right angles to said shank portion. At theirinner ends, the shank portions I4--I4 are enlarged to provide bearingmembers I6-I6 of substantially circular outline. The bearing headportion I5 of each shank I4 is provided with a relatively large bearingopening I? therethrough. The outer end of the section I5 of each hingearm is preferably rounded off, as shown, and said outer end of thesection I5 of the arm secured to the rack section II is provided. with alaterally projecting bearing boss I8 which is of smaller diameter thansaid rounded end, as clearly shown in Figure 5.

The outer end of the section I5 of the other arm A of the hinge, whichis secured to the rack section It], is provided with a relatively largebearing opening I9 receiving the bearing boss I8, thereby pivotallyconnecting the arms A--A. The pivotal connection thus provided for saidarms AA is held together by a rivet 20, or any other similar securingelement, extending through a central opening 2I of the boss I8 and thearm A which carries said boss. A washer 22 is preferably interposedbetween the outer end of the boss I8 and the head at the correspondingend of the rivet. In this connection it is pointed out that the boss I8is of a length greater than the thickness of the pivoted end of thesection I5 of the arm which is mounted on the rack section It], therebyassuring freedom of movement of the pivotal connection between said armsAA.

The supporting base members B--B are of similar design, each comprisinga fan or sectorshaped plate having oppositely projecting, aligned, outerand inner, cylindrical sleeve members 23 and 24 thereon at thecontracted end of the sector. The outer sleeve 23 is shorter than thesleeve 24, as most clearly shown in Figure 6, and serves as a pivot bossor trunnion for the corresponding arm A, said sleeve being accom modatedwithin the pivot opening II of said arm. On the inner side thesector-shaped plate of the member B is provided with a laterallyprojecting, hollow lug 25. This lug is eccentric to the pivot sleeve 23and spaced radially therefrom and serves as an anchor for said member B,as hereinafter pointed out. The outer side of the broad portion of themember B is provided with spaced, radially disposed, stop lugs 26-26 fora purpose hereinafter pointed out.

As shown in Figure 2, the base members 15-13 are secured to adjacentstringers I2I2 of the rack sections III and II with the broad portionsof the sector-shaped plates of said members depending, the sleeve 24 ofeach base member being seated in a suitable opening 21 extendingentirely through the corresponding stringer, and the lug seated in arecess 28 provided in the stringer, the lug 25 holding the base memberagainst rotation about the axis of the sleeve 24.

The base member B is secured in place by the fastening element C, which,as shown, is preferably in the form of a bolt extending through thesleeve members 23 and 24. A washer 29 is interposed between the head 30of the bolt and the outer end of the sleeve member 23, and a secondwasher 3I is interposed between the nut 32 an'dthe adjacent side of thestringer I2. As shown in Figure 6, the sleeve member 2A does not extendentirely through the opening 27, sufficient clearance being left betweenthe outer end of said sleeve and the washer 3| to permit the sleeve tobe drawn tightly into said opening when the nut 32 is tightened, therebyforcibly drawing the plate section of the base member B against thestringer I2 to securely clamp the base member to said stringer. Thesleeve member 23 is of a length greater than the thickness of thebearing portion I6 of the arm or link A and thus projects beyond theouter side of the arm to provide clearance between the bearing headportion I6 and the washer 29, thus assuring freedom of swinging movementof the arm A with respect to the supporting bracket B.

As shown clearly in Figure 1, two sets of hinge members are preferablyprovided for connecting each set of rack sections I0 and I I, the setsbeing respectively at opposite sides of said sections. As shown inFigure 2, the parts of each set of hinge members are connected to eachother and the sections I0 and II of the rack in such a manner that thearms or links AA rest on the stop lugs 26--26 of the base members B-B,which are nearest the opposed ends of said rack sections. The arms 01links AA are thus positively supported with the hinged connectionbetween said arms in such a position that it will function properly atall times without any danger of binding when the rack section I I isswung to fold the same either on top of or beneath the section I0. Inthis connection it is pointed out that by forming each base member Bwith two lugs 2B-26, the base members are made universal for applicationto either of the rack sections III and II Without modification. Infolding the rack section II beneath the section ID the same is swungfrom the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3and the links or arms AA will assume approximately the position shown insaid last named figure.

In folding the rack section II on top of the section II) to clear thedoor opening of the car, it is swung upwardly from the position shown inFigure 2 over the section III, to the position shown in Figure 4, andthe links or arms A-A will assume the position shown in said last namedfigure.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a floor rack composed of horizontally disposed, separate adjacentsections, the combination with hinge means connecting said sectionscomprising a pair of arms pivotally connected to each other at one setof ends, said arms having the other ends thereof pivotally connected tosaid. rack sections respectively, said pivotal connections all swingingabout horizontal axes; of stop means on said rack sections for limitindownward swinging movement of said arms to maintain the same raisedabove the lower limits of said sections with the pivotal connection ofsaid arms positioned to accurately guide swinging movement of one racksection on top of the other.

2. In a floor rack including adjacent pairs of horizontally disposedsections, the combination with hinge means including pivotally connectedhinge arms for connecting said sections of each pair for folding one ofthe sections of said pair on top of or beneath the other, the pivotalconnection between said arms swinging about a horizontal axis; ofsupporting means on said rack sections pivotally supporting said armsfor swinging movement about horizontal axes at the ends thereof remotefrom their pivotal connection with each other; and stop members on saidrack sections engaging beneath said arms for limiting swinging movementof each of said arms in downward direction with respect to the racksection to which it is connected to support the pivotal connection ofsaid arms with each other in a predetermined position for controllingrelative swinging movement of said arms during folding movement of saidsections one on top of the other.

3. In a hinge connection for a pair of horizontally disposed floor racksections, the combination with a pair of links pivotally connected toeach other at one set of ends for swinging movement in vertical planes;of supporting members secured to said racks respectively for pivotallysupporting the remaining set of ends of said links for swinging movementin vertical planes, each supporting member having a stop thereonengageable underneath the corresponding link to limit downward swingingmovement thereof and thereby support the links with the pivotalconnection thereof with each other in position to assure accuratefolding of one rack section on top of the other.

4. In hinge means for connecting two horizontally disposed floor racksections including stringers, the combination with a hinge supportsecured to each stringer, said support including a vertically disposedplatelike portion bearing on one side of the corresponding stringer, ahorizontalls disposed cylindrical sleeve projecting from the inner sideof said plate into the stringer, and a horizontal pivot memberprojecting from the outer side of said plate; of anchoring meansextending through said cylindrical sleeve for clamping the hinge supportto the stringer; a link pivotally supported at its inner end on thepivot member of each support for swinging movement in a vertical plane;and means pivotally connecting the outer ends of said links to eachother for relative swinging movement about a horizontal axis.

5. In hinge means for a pair of rack sections including supportingstringers, the combination with a pair of pivotally connected linkshaving bearing openings at the ends thereof remote from their pivotalconnection; of a pair of supporting members for said links mounted onthe stringers of said rack sections respectively, each supporting memberincluding a hollow sleeve extending into and partly through thecorresponding stringer and projecting from one side of said stringer,said projecting portion of the sleeve forming a bearing element engagedwithin the bearing opening of the corresponding link; and a flange onsaid sleeve between said link and said side of the stringer, and meansextending through said sleeve having shouldered engagement with theprojecting end of the sleeve and the side of the stringer opposite tosaid first named side for clamping the supporting member to thestringer.

6. In hinge means for pivotally connecting two adjacent rack sectionsincluding supporting stringers, the combination with a pair of pivotallyconnected links; of means for hingedly connecting the ends of saidlinks, remote from t the pivotal connection thereof, to said racksrespectively including duplicate supporting members fixed to thestringers of said racks respectively, each supporting member including aplate having a bearing projection thereon journaled in the correspondinglink, each of said plates having a pair of spaced stop lugs thereonbelow said projection, to the right and left of the same, said lugsbeing radial to the axis of pivotal movement of the link on theprojection, the right lug of one of said supporting members and the leftlug of the other supporting member limiting swinging movement of saidlinks respectively.

ROLAND J. OLANDER.

